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Thermal power projects face green hurdle

By Sumit Kumar, Section Environment
Posted on Thu Dec 07, 2006 at 02:42:45 AM EST

The ministry of environment & forests (MoEF) has thrown a spanner in crucial power projects in the state, refusing to clear them till environmental safeguards were furnished.

The move could stall the state's bid to add over 2,500 mw in generation capacity, derailing ambitious plans to plug the power shortage. The shortfall is set to get more acute as industrial demand shoots up.The MoEF representative raised objections to all three thermal power projects that were tabled at the first meeting of the expert appraisal committee on environment clearance last month. ]The committee, constituted recently to set up the terms of reference (TOR) for environment impact assessment (EIA) study, can reject a proposal before it reaches the EIA stage. Earlier, central clearance was needed only after West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) cleared the EIA.

The two West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) projects Katwa I & II (600 mw × 2) and Bakreshwar unit no. 6 (600 mw) may be cleared later. But the third one 300 mw unit proposed by Durgapur Projects Ltd (DPL) will find the going tough as MoEF vetoes another thermal unit in the state's mostpolluted region. Durgapur is categorised a red zone with air pollution higher than ambient norms.

"We have asked DPL to justify how it plans to add another thermal unit in the highly polluted zone without vitiating the atmosphere further. Nearly 6-7 lakh tonne coal will have to be burnt every month to fuel this unit. WBPDCL has also been asked to explain in detail the pollution control measures," MoEF expert committee (thermal) chairman P M Abraham said.

On December 12, two more WBPDCL projects Santaldih (250 mw) and Sagardighi (600 mw × 2) will be placed before the expert appraisal committee.

West Bengal Power Development Corporation Ltd (WBPDCL) managing director S Mahapatra, who was present at the meeting, said MoEF's apprehensions were unfounded as new units led to induction of cleaner technology.

At present, DPL has six thermal units with size ranging from 30 mw to 110 mw. Together, they generate 403 mw. A seventh unit of 300 mw unit is currently under construction. The MoEF objection is against the eighth unit of 300 mw."Once these new units come up, the older ones will be shut down, leading to reduction in pollution. It is not DPL but sponge iron units that spew noxious fumes in Durgapur".

(Source-Times Of India,07/12/06)

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